The current industry standard for fire fighting vehicles with aerial ladders or buckets mounted thereon allows for hose storage space to either be above the booster tank or directly behind the tank under the bedded aerial assembly. Access to the hose for deployment is accomplished utilizing hose chutes. These chutes are usually small in size and are usually located high up on the rear of the apparatus. Another standard location is directly under the bedded aerial assembly on mid-mounted aerial vehicles. While the mid-mounted vehicles are more user-friendly while deploying the hose, it sometimes can be more difficult reloading the hose. The obvious reason for this is because the entire hose bed area is located directly under the bedded aerial.
Both the standard rear mount and mid-mount vehicles require the hose storage area to be located under the bedded aerial assembly. This requirement makes it very difficult and time-consuming to reload hose before leaving the scene. Aerial vehicles are not designed to be driven either forward or backward with the aerial assembly out of the inoperative bedded or carrying position. In the bedded position the aerial assembly provides more interference with the storage space therebelow than is the case when the aerial assembly is moved out of its inoperative bedded position. In some instances aerial vehicles have been reloaded by moving the vehicle backward with the aerial assembly out of its inoperative position. This is not a recommended procedure because the braces that engage the ground to enhance the vehicle's stability while the aerial assembly is raised must be moved to their inoperative positions as the vehicle is being moved.
Most, if not all fire departments, reload large diameter hose back onto a pumper vehicle or truck by backing up to or driving toward the hydrant. While the unit is being moved toward the hydrant the hose is simultaneously being reloaded onto the storage space in fore and aft folds. The conventional aerial design does not allow this same procedure to occur, assuming departments follow manufacturers' recommendations of never moving the truck while the aerial is in the raised position. The basic reason for this is because the design and location of the hose bed area on the conventional truck does not allow this procedure to occur.
There exists a need to provide a way to facilitate both hose deployment and hose reloading which will obviate the problems presented in aerial vehicles as noted above.